Releasable connecter



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May 13 1924.

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Patented May 13, 1924.

. nnwann Dna'rnicii, or LANCASTER, PENNsYLvnNra nnLiinsaBLn CONNECTER. f@

j ppiicanon mea March e, 1922. seriai Nfsiaaes.

T all whom it muy conce-Mi Be it known that l, EDWARD DEA'rRioK, a

citizen of the 'United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releasable Coiinecters, of which the following is a specification.

lThis invention relates to releasable con- .l necters, theobjectbeingto produce a siin ple means fordetachably coupling together two members so that `by pressing a button or closing an electric switch one of the connecter members may be instantly released or uncoupled from the otherv member. The

uncoupling operation may also be effected by mechanical means, as will appear.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the coupling means may be locked or held in uncoupling position so that the connecter members cannot be coupled together.

The device is useful for many purposes,

as, for example releasing live stock in case of fire, in which case the device may beoperated by hand, or by an electric circuit closer either manually operated or auto-v `matically closed by the melting of a fuse.

The invention consists in the novel structure herein fully described, illustrated and claimed. t

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of thel saine; Fig. 3 is a dianietrical section through the magnet;

Figs isy a diametrical section through'the the shoulder 17, as seen in Fig. '2.V Each plunger; .y Y c f Fig. 5 is'an end view of the latch carrier; Fig.k6 is a side view of the'same; and l Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through thebarrel and contents, illustratingthe meay chanical means for 'etlecting the' uncoupling operation.

In the embodiment of the invention villustrated in the drawings, the device comprisesI a barrel 1 forming a container or casing for the coupling and uncoupling means. As shown the barrel is closedat one end by a plug 2 fixed in place by any suitable means, screws 3 being shown for that purpose. F astened t0 and passing centrally through the plug 2 is a flexible cable 4 containing electric conductors 5. The cable 4 is used to anchor the barrel 1 to any structure such as manger orwall in case the device, as "a whole, is utilizedr to hold and release live stock. 1 Y

The conductors 5 lead'to' and from an electromagnetl y6 1held within 'the barrel '1. Inone end 'of tlieboreof the magnet there ,is a'fixed'plug' 7 formed with a small cena "jtral bore 8, vthe purpose ot which will appear. 'A reciprocatory armature 9 is slid- -able intheother endv of the bore 'of the magnet and Jfunctions yalso asa plunger for operating vthe latching means" to be de scribed.'A Theplunger Qhas a small central bore 10 in line with the small bore 8, the

purpose ofwhich will appear.

The latching means comprises a latch lcarrier` 11'(Figs. 2,' 5v and 6) and one' or more" `latches 12,.pvotally mounted thereon at 13.

Three o'l' lsuchf latches are shown arranged equidistantly around the center of the carv-`A rier 11 and-' mov'able' `within longitudinal slots 14 therein. The carrierl 11 Vat one end centl end of the barrel 1 and vis held by fastening means such .as screws 11.. The latches '12 are designed to engage and securely hold. a connecter member 15,y shown in theformb-iya stout p iii having a rounded or tapered innerend portion or head 1 6,v

and an annula-rshoulder 17 The member The two connecter members land are `telescopi'cally coupled together by means of the latches '12, each of which has a rounded orbevelf nosed lip 19 to engage behind latch 12 is also formed with steps 2O and 21 to cooperate with beveled'extremity 22 of the plunger 9. P lunger 9 ispressed toward and against thelatches12l by an4 expansion spring 23 situatedin coun'te'rbores joli the plug 7 and plunger9(Figsl and 7). The

plungeri 9 isslidableina central borel 241 of the latter are securely held in 'coupling position as shown in Fig. 2. When the plunger is in engagement with the steps 20, the latches are held in uncoupling position, and in such position thel members 1 and 15 can-. notl be coupled together.

To unc'ouple the members 1 and 15 the lis enlarged to form a plug 11 for tlieadja- '15 carries atits.A outer enda., pivota'lly atthe latch holder ',(Fig.l 2)"and .when in enp. gag'ement with )the steps 21 off' the latches magnet 6 is energizedby closing a `switch in an electric circuit including said magnet. This retracts the plunger 9 from the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the rear ends of the latches are drawn inwardly by a contractible spring 125 which encircle's said i ends of the latches, The lips 19,V of the latches are thereby moved outwardly and release the member 15 from the member l.

The beveled extremity 22 of the 'plunger is now engaging the steps 2O of the latches and .they are thus prevented itrom moving into engagement with the shoulder 17 of the member 15 when thrust into the latch holder 11. To again couple the member 1 and 115 the member 15 is first inserted in the member 1 and the plunger then .allowed to move forward until it engages' the step 21 where it is held by the spring 23.

To mechanically retract the plunger to release the member 1 5, a wire like kstem 26 is inserted through the -smalfl central bores 8 .and 10 ofthe plu-g 7 and the plunger as in F ig. 7, said stem having a stop or head 27 bearing against the end ofthe ,plunger when the latter is `"thrust outwardly by the spring 23. Connected withthe other end of vthe stem QG is a small lever 28 .pivoted at`29 to the member 1 and .having an angle arm 30 for convenient manipulation. By pressing inwardly on arm '30 the plunger is retracted, 'thereby permitting the latching means to release the member 15.

lVhat I claim is: l

1. The combination oii'two telescopically coupled connecter members, one of Ysaid members having a latch to vengage and hold the other member, a plunger carried wholly within saidmembersgto holdv said latch in coupling position, and means for shifting said plunger to permit .the latch to move to releasing position. Y

2. A releasable connecter comprising a latch-carrying member, a latch-restrained "member ktele'scopically. coupled thereto, .a

latch carried by the iirst named member to hold and release the other member, a plunger carried Wholly within said niembers normally holdingthe latch in .locking engagement with the latch restrained ,meml

ber, and manually-controlled means for retracting ksaid plunger.

` 3. A releasable connecter comprising a latchcarrying member, Va latcli--restrained member, telescopically coupled thereto,V a latch carried by the first named member to hold and 'releasethe otherl member, a plunger carried wholly within said members normally signature holding the latch in locking engagement with the latch restrained mcmber, and electrically controlled means 'for retracting said plunger.

4,. A releasable connecter, comprising a latch-carrying member, a latch-restrained member telescopically coupled thereto, a latch carried by the vtirst named member to hold and release the other member, a plunger carried wholly within said members normally holding the latch in locking engagement with the latch restrained member, and electromagnetic means ior retracting said plunger.

5. A releasable connecter comprising a latch-carrying member, a latch-restrained member telescopically coupled thereto, a

latch carried by the lirst named member to hold and .release the other member, a spring pressed plunger normally holding the latch l in locking engagement ywith `the latch restrained member, and manually-controlled means for retractinglsaid plunger.

6. A releasablev connecter comprising a.l

latchcarrying member, a latch-restrained member telescopically coupled thereto, a latch carried by the lirst named member to hold and release the other member, a plunger normally holding the latch in locking engagement with the latch restrained member,

electro-magnetic means for retracting said plunger, and subsidiary mechanical means for retracting the plunger.

7. A releasable connecter comprising a holding member, a 'normally held member having a shouldered head, latching xmeans carried Yby the :[iist named member to couple the members together, and a retracti'ble plunger normally 'holding the latching means in functioning ,position and adapted to permit the latching means vto shift to uncoupling position.

8. A releasable connecter ,comprising a holding member, a normally 'held member. 'having a shouldered head, vlatching means carried by .the first named member .toy

couple the members together, and a retractible plunger normally holding the Alatching means in 'functioning position and adapted to permit the latching means to shift to uncoupling position, said plunger when in anotherposition serving to holdthe llatching means in non-coupling position,

thereby preventing the members from y.being coupled.

In testimony whereof I have affixed 'my 'EDWARD nummer. 

